Nina Desiree Hunt, longtime resident of Atoka, passed from this life on August 12, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Ada, OK. Nina was born on May 5th, 1995, at Jackson, Mississippi to John and Beverly Burns. In 1999 she came to live in Atoka as a foster child of Gary and Shirley Hunt, where it was instantly obvious that she’d found her forever family, and would be henceforth known as Sister! Life wasn’t always kind to Sister. She entered this world as a struggling and sickly baby with Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy and non-verbal autism being her first goals to hurdle. The first few years of her life were a blur of ER visits, hospital admits and testing. Since Nina couldn’t verbalize how she was feeling or the things she was experiencing, it took a very large group of medical professionals, her family and her schoolteachers to collaboratively come up with the best plan for her and then implement it. Once a much clearer picture of Nina started to emerge, and her medications and therapies all lined up, it was like magic watching her awaken and start to enjoy life.

Nina grew to be so expressive and full of love and excitement that she was literally infectious to be around! There was no end to the list of random, everyday objects that brought the brightest smile to her face. She didn’t care much for teddy bears or traditional toys, but no flashlight or cookbook was safe around her! Sister has spent countless hours lining up Dominoe “snakes” just to lose her breath laughing once she knocked them all down! Honestly, she didn’t even need toys for entertainment because Nina had created her own magical language that she shared with her invisible best friend, Joppy-Joppy Joe, and she would laugh until she lost her breath swapping stories with “Joe”. On occasion, if you asked just right, she would share one of her whispered tales in your ear and then burst into that precious laugh. She loved watching Barney, loving on baby animals, being read to and holding baby humans (once you were a toddler and mobile she no longer had any use for you). Waiting for Ms. Kay and Ms. Vivian to pick her up for school in the mornings was a special joy for her. She could barely wait for her backpack to be put on before she was busting out the door to climb the bus stairs, see her friends and take a ride. Unfortunately, that joy generally only lasted the length of the bus ride and then she was ready to go back home! Sister’s time as a Wampus Cat were truly some of the best years of her life.

Over the years, countless doctors and therapists have tried to assess Nina’s cognitive abilities, speculate about what she did and didn’t understand and what she may or may not eventually be able to achieve…none of that mattered. What did matter is she was loved, deeply, by a village. She knew more happiness than she did sorrow. There was not one day that she woke up and worried about where her next meal was coming from or what bill she could afford to pay. What she did know when she woke, was she would be loved and protected and that is all that ever truly matters. Perhaps Nina was one of the truest lilies to ever grace God’s field.

Left behind to retell “Nina stories” until our stomachs hurt from laughter and her legend is elevated to epic proportions are her sisters, Shauna and David Harendt of Blue,OK , Shammi and Trevor Jackson of Centerpoint, OK, Shelli Ginden of Atoka, OK and her Fiancé Woody Foster of Arpellar,OK. and Stormie Shadden of Springtown, TX.

Nieces, Analyce and Kayli Jackson of Centerpoint, OK. Chaini Hunt-Ginden of Atoka, OK. Dylan and Hadli Keeler of Blue, OK. Olivia and Lola Harendt of Blue, OK. Harley Shadden of Springtown, TX, Braylen Shadden of Springtown, TX. Nephews, Jacob and Atlee Harendt of Blue, OK and Claysen Ginden of Atoka, OK. and The Reddick Roundup Crew from various parts of Oklahoma,Arkansas and Texas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gary and Shirley Hunt. Grandparents, Joseph and Geraldine Hunt and Doyle “ Chub” and Mary Clay. Aunt, Pamela Edson. Uncles, Pat Edson, Jerry Clay and Ronnie Hunt.

DATE OF SERVICES: 02:00 PM Saturday, August 16th, 2025 PLACE OF SERVICES: Brown's Funeral Chapel, Atoka, Oklahoma OFFICIATING: Bro. Joey Lansdale INTERMENT: County Line Cemetery, Pickens, Oklahoma CASKETBEARERS: David Harendt, Woody Foster, Trevor Jackson, Robert Ginden, Claysen Ginden, Atlee Harendt HONORARY CASKETBEARERS: Vivian Jackson, Kay Banks, Vanessa (Lovett) Springer and Mickey Gore CONDOLENCES MAY BE SENT TO THE FAMILY BY EMAIL TO: [email protected]. PLEASE REFERENCE THE NAME OF THE DECEASED IN YOUR CORRESPONDENCE VISITATION IS FRIDAY 6-8PM In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make donations to the J.D. McCarty Center in Norman to help further enrich the lives of children with developmental disabilities. SERVICES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF BROWN’S FUNERAL SERVICE - ATOKA, OK